DEKALB, Ill. – A strong outing from senior
Mackenzie Bryan and an offensive outburst by the Huskie lineup helped propel the Northern Illinois University softball team to a 7-5 win over Kent State in the series finale at Mary M. Bell Field Sunday afternoon.
After Kent State (9-12, 6-2) posted a four spot in the top of the fourth, Bryan came in to pitch in relief for NIU (7-15, 2-6) and shut down the Golden Flashes line up. She allowed one run on four hits, while walking four.
"It's been two years in the making," NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe said of Bryan. "She got her feet wet on Friday. She knew she could do this all along. It was how could we bring her back in a healthy way that's going to get her to sustain it the next 32 games of the season. To see that out of her, hopefully that gives everyone confidence and we can roll into the next weekend."
Down 4-0 through the first two innings, the Huskies tied the game in the bottom of the third. Amberly Rodriquez drove in the first run on a bunt single with runners at second and third.
Mackenzie Mahy drove in the second run of the inning when she grounded out to third to drive in
Courtney James, who came in to pinch run for
Sam Mallinder, who reached on an error earlier in the inning.
"To go down 4-0, early on, kind of puts you on your heels," she said. "To stay patient and fight back shows a lot about this team."
A
Katie Keller double to left center drove in Rodriguez to pull NIU to within a run. Keller came around to score the tying run on a
Bianca Barone single to center.
Kent State responded with a run in the top of the fourth, however, the Huskies came right back in the bottom of the frame with
Ellis Erickson delivering the big blow.
Izzy Smith began the rally with a leadoff double to left field. Erickson blasted a home run over the scoreboard in left field, her second of the weekend, to give NIU a 6-5 lead. The Huskies added an insurance run on a two-out single to center from Keller to score Mallinder.
NIU received production throughout the line up with Keller going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored from the four hole, while Erickson was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored from the eighth spot.
The Huskies return to the road when NIU travels to Toledo, Ohio Friday for a four-game series with the Rockets. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT.
-NIU-
